Description
This comforting Split Pea Soup recipe features tender split peas cooked with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and a savory ham bone to create a rich, hearty soup perfect for chilly days. Enhanced with Italian seasoning, cumin, and thyme, and thickened by blending part of the soup, it’s served best with hearty buttered bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 cups finely diced onion (2 medium onions)
- 1 cup finely diced carrot (2 to 3 large carrots)
- 1 cup finely diced celery (3 to 4 stalks)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)
Herbs & Spices
- Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1–1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 small bay leaves (or 1 large)
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1–1/2 cups green split peas (rinsed; old split peas may not soften)
- 1 meaty ham bone (or ham hocks, plus additional ham if desired)
- 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
Optional Garnish & Serving
- Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
- Hearty buttered bread (for serving)
Instructions
- Cook Veggies and Split Peas: In a large heavy-bottomed pot (5.5 quart or larger), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, celery, and salt and pepper. Cook for 5–8 minutes until the vegetables are softened and the onion starts to turn golden. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, thyme, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to release the flavors. Stir in rinsed split peas and combine well.
- Cook Ham: Add the ham bone, bay leaves, and chicken broth to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 60–90 minutes. Stir occasionally, especially as the soup thickens, to prevent peas from sticking to the bottom. Add extra broth if the soup becomes too thick. If using additional chopped ham, add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Shred Ham: Remove the ham bone from the soup. Carefully shred off as much meat as possible, discarding the bone and any fat. Return shredded ham to the pot. Remove and discard bay leaves.
- Blend Soup: Ladle about 2 cups of the soup into a blender and puree until completely smooth to enhance the soup’s texture and thickness. Return the blended puree back into the soup pot and stir thoroughly. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves if desired and serve alongside hearty buttered bread. Enjoy this comforting meal!
Notes
- Use green split peas that are fresh; older split peas may not soften properly.
- If ham bones are not available, ham hocks or a combination of smoked ham pieces work well to add flavor.
- Adding extra chopped ham near the end of cooking provides more meat in the soup.
- Stir more frequently towards the end of cooking as the soup thickens to prevent burning.
- Blending part of the soup creates a creamy texture without using cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: split pea soup, ham soup, hearty soup, comfort food, green split peas, easy soup recipe
